diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/events/constants.js b/packages/backend-core/src/events/constants.js
index d74004acd0..712e41b17f 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/events/constants.js
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/events/constants.js
@@ -125,9 +125,10 @@ exports.Events = {
   AUTOMATION_CREATED: "automation:created",
   AUTOMATION_DELETED: "automation:deleted",
   AUTOMATION_TESTED: "automation:tested",
-  AUTOMATION_RUN: "automation:run",
+  // AUTOMATION_RUN: "automation:run",
   AUTOMATION_STEP_CREATED: "automation:step:created",
   AUTOMATION_STEP_DELETED: "automation:step:deleted",
+  AUTOMATION_TRIGGER_UPDATED: "automation:trigger:updated",
 
   // LICENSING
   LICENSING_QUOTA_EXCEEDED: "licensing:quota:exceeded",
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/events/handlers/automation.js b/packages/backend-core/src/events/handlers/automation.js
index 72c2d73d56..2a978b4645 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/events/handlers/automation.js
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/events/handlers/automation.js
@@ -6,32 +6,33 @@ exports.created = () => {
   events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_CREATED, properties)
 }
 
-// TODO
 exports.deleted = () => {
   const properties = {}
   events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_DELETED, properties)
 }
 
-// TODO
 exports.tested = () => {
   const properties = {}
   events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_TESTED, properties)
 }
 
 // TODO
-exports.run = () => {
-  const properties = {}
-  events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_RUN, properties)
-}
+// exports.run = () => {
+//   const properties = {}
+//   events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_RUN, properties)
+// }
 
-// TODO
 exports.stepCreated = () => {
   const properties = {}
   events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_STEP_CREATED, properties)
 }
 
-// TODO
 exports.stepDeleted = () => {
   const properties = {}
   events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_STEP_DELETED, properties)
 }
+
+exports.triggerUpdated = () => {
+  const properties = {}
+  events.processEvent(Events.AUTOMATION_TRIGGER_UPDATED, properties)
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/tests/utilities/mocks/events.js b/packages/backend-core/src/tests/utilities/mocks/events.js
index f6eb2eddcc..74e62ef73c 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/tests/utilities/mocks/events.js
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/tests/utilities/mocks/events.js
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ jest.mock("../../../events", () => {
       SSOActivated: jest.fn(),
       SSODeactivated: jest.fn(),
     },
+    automation: {
+      created: jest.fn(),
+      deleted: jest.fn(),
+      tested: jest.fn(),
+      // run: jest.fn(),
+      stepCreated: jest.fn(),
+      stepDeleted: jest.fn(),
+      triggerUpdated: jest.fn(),
+    },
     datasource: {
       created: jest.fn(),
       updated: jest.fn(),
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js
index 74942dad40..2c4c669392 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const { deleteEntityMetadata } = require("../../utilities")
 const { MetadataTypes } = require("../../constants")
 const { setTestFlag, clearTestFlag } = require("../../utilities/redis")
 const { getAppDB } = require("@budibase/backend-core/context")
+const { events } = require("@budibase/backend-core")
 
 const ACTION_DEFS = removeDeprecated(actions.ACTION_DEFINITIONS)
 const TRIGGER_DEFS = removeDeprecated(triggers.TRIGGER_DEFINITIONS)
@@ -70,6 +71,10 @@ exports.create = async function (ctx) {
     newAuto: automation,
   })
   const response = await db.put(automation)
+  events.automation.created()
+  for (let step of automation.definition.steps) {
+    events.automation.stepCreated(step)
+  }
   automation._rev = response.rev
 
   ctx.status = 200
@@ -82,6 +87,29 @@ exports.create = async function (ctx) {
   }
 }
 
+const getNewSteps = (oldAutomation, automation) => {
+  const oldStepIds = oldAutomation.definition.steps.map(s => s.id)
+  return automation.definition.steps.filter(s => !oldStepIds.includes(s.id))
+}
+
+const getDeletedSteps = (oldAutomation, automation) => {
+  const stepIds = automation.definition.steps.map(s => s.id)
+  return oldAutomation.definition.steps.filter(s => !stepIds.includes(s.id))
+}
+
+const handleStepEvents = (oldAutomation, automation) => {
+  // new steps
+  const newSteps = getNewSteps(oldAutomation, automation)
+  for (let step of newSteps) {
+    events.automation.stepCreated(step)
+  }
+
+  // old steps
+  const deletedSteps = getDeletedSteps(oldAutomation, automation)
+  for (let step of deletedSteps) {
+    events.automation.stepDeleted(step)
+  }
+}
 exports.update = async function (ctx) {
   const db = getAppDB()
   let automation = ctx.request.body
@@ -98,13 +126,14 @@ exports.update = async function (ctx) {
   const oldAutoTrigger =
     oldAutomation && oldAutomation.definition.trigger
       ? oldAutomation.definition.trigger
-      : {}
+      : undefined
   const newAutoTrigger =
     automation && automation.definition.trigger
       ? automation.definition.trigger
       : {}
   // trigger has been updated, remove the test inputs
-  if (oldAutoTrigger.id !== newAutoTrigger.id) {
+  if (oldAutoTrigger && oldAutoTrigger.id !== newAutoTrigger.id) {
+    events.automation.triggerUpdated()
     await deleteEntityMetadata(
       ctx.appId,
       MetadataTypes.AUTOMATION_TEST_INPUT,
@@ -112,6 +141,8 @@ exports.update = async function (ctx) {
     )
   }
 
+  handleStepEvents(oldAutomation, automation)
+
   ctx.status = 200
   ctx.body = {
     message: `Automation ${automation._id} updated successfully.`,
@@ -148,6 +179,7 @@ exports.destroy = async function (ctx) {
   // delete metadata first
   await cleanupAutomationMetadata(automationId)
   ctx.body = await db.remove(automationId, ctx.params.rev)
+  events.automation.deleted()
 }
 
 exports.getActionList = async function (ctx) {
@@ -215,4 +247,5 @@ exports.test = async function (ctx) {
   })
   await clearTestFlag(automation._id)
   ctx.body = response
+  events.automation.tested()
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/automation.spec.js b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/automation.spec.js
index cce51fc94b..aef2927889 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/automation.spec.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/automation.spec.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const { mocks } = require("@budibase/backend-core/testUtils")
 mocks.date.mock()
 const MAX_RETRIES = 4
 const { TRIGGER_DEFINITIONS, ACTION_DEFINITIONS } = require("../../../automations")
+const { events } = require("@budibase/backend-core")
 
 describe("/automations", () => {
   let request = setup.getRequest()
@@ -58,8 +59,9 @@ describe("/automations", () => {
   })
 
   describe("create", () => {
-    it("returns a success message when the automation is successfully created", async () => {
+    it("creates an automation with no steps", async () => {
       const automation = newAutomation()
+      automation.definition.steps = []
 
       const res = await request
         .post(`/api/automations`)
@@ -71,6 +73,27 @@ describe("/automations", () => {
       expect(res.body.message).toEqual("Automation created successfully")
       expect(res.body.automation.name).toEqual("My Automation")
       expect(res.body.automation._id).not.toEqual(null)
+      expect(events.automation.created).toBeCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).not.toBeCalled()
+    })
+
+    it("creates an automation with steps", async () => {
+      const automation = newAutomation()
+      automation.definition.steps.push(automationStep())
+      jest.clearAllMocks()
+
+      const res = await request
+        .post(`/api/automations`)
+        .set(config.defaultHeaders())
+        .send(automation)
+        .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
+        .expect(200)
+
+      expect(res.body.message).toEqual("Automation created successfully")
+      expect(res.body.automation.name).toEqual("My Automation")
+      expect(res.body.automation._id).not.toEqual(null)
+      expect(events.automation.created).toBeCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).toBeCalledTimes(2)
     })
 
     it("should apply authorization to endpoint", async () => {
@@ -97,8 +120,8 @@ describe("/automations", () => {
     })
   })
 
-  describe("trigger", () => {
-    it("trigger the automation successfully", async () => {
+  describe("test", () => {
+    it("tests the automation successfully", async () => {
       let table = await config.createTable()
       let automation = newAutomation()
       automation.definition.trigger.inputs.tableId = table._id
@@ -113,6 +136,7 @@ describe("/automations", () => {
       automation = await config.createAutomation(automation)
       await setup.delay(500)
       const res = await testAutomation(config, automation)
+      expect(events.automation.tested).toBeCalledTimes(1)
       // this looks a bit mad but we don't actually have a way to wait for a response from the automation to
       // know that it has finished all of its actions - this is currently the best way
       // also when this runs in CI it is very temper-mental so for now trying to make run stable by repeating until it works
@@ -134,53 +158,141 @@ describe("/automations", () => {
   })
 
   describe("update", () => {
-    it("updates a automations data", async () => {
-      let automation = newAutomation()
-      await config.createAutomation(automation)
-      automation.name = "Updated Name"
 
-      const res = await request
+    const update = async (automation) => {
+      return request
         .put(`/api/automations`)
         .set(config.defaultHeaders())
         .send(automation)
         .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
         .expect(200)
+    }
 
-        expect(res.body.message).toEqual(`Automation ${automation._id} updated successfully.`)
-        expect(res.body.automation.name).toEqual("Updated Name")
-    })
-
-    it("should be able to update an automation trigger", async () => {
-      // create webhook automation
-      const webhookTrigger = automationTrigger(TRIGGER_DEFINITIONS.WEBHOOK)
-      let automation = newAutomation({ trigger: webhookTrigger })
-
-      let res = await request
+    const updateWithPost = async (automation) => {
+      return request
         .post(`/api/automations`)
         .set(config.defaultHeaders())
         .send(automation)
         .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
         .expect(200)
+    }
 
-      automation = res.body.automation
-      expect(automation._id).toBeDefined()
-      expect(automation._rev).toBeDefined()
+    it("updates a automations name", async () => {
+      let automation = newAutomation()
+      await config.createAutomation(automation)
+      automation.name = "Updated Name"
+      jest.clearAllMocks()
 
-      // change the trigger
-      automation.trigger = automationTrigger(TRIGGER_DEFINITIONS.ROW_SAVED)
-
-      // check the post request honours updates with same id
-      res = await request
-        .post(`/api/automations`)
-        .set(config.defaultHeaders())
-        .send(automation)
-        .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
-        .expect(200)
+      const res = await update(automation)
 
       const automationRes = res.body.automation
+      const message = res.body.message
+
+      // doc attributes
       expect(automationRes._id).toEqual(automation._id)
       expect(automationRes._rev).toBeDefined()
       expect(automationRes._rev).not.toEqual(automation._rev)
+      // content updates
+      expect(automationRes.name).toEqual("Updated Name")
+      expect(message).toEqual(`Automation ${automation._id} updated successfully.`)
+      // events
+      expect(events.automation.created).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.stepDeleted).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.triggerUpdated).not.toBeCalled()
+    })
+
+
+    it("updates a automations name using POST request", async () => {
+      let automation = newAutomation()
+      await config.createAutomation(automation)
+      automation.name = "Updated Name"
+      jest.clearAllMocks()
+
+      // the POST request will defer to the update
+      // when an id has been supplied.
+      const res = await updateWithPost(automation)
+
+      const automationRes = res.body.automation
+      const message = res.body.message
+      // doc attributes
+      expect(automationRes._id).toEqual(automation._id)
+      expect(automationRes._rev).toBeDefined()
+      expect(automationRes._rev).not.toEqual(automation._rev)
+      // content updates
+      expect(automationRes.name).toEqual("Updated Name")
+      expect(message).toEqual(`Automation ${automation._id} updated successfully.`)
+      // events
+      expect(events.automation.created).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.stepDeleted).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.triggerUpdated).not.toBeCalled()
+    })
+
+    it("updates an automation trigger", async () => {
+      let automation = newAutomation()
+      automation = await config.createAutomation(automation)
+      automation.definition.trigger = automationTrigger(TRIGGER_DEFINITIONS.WEBHOOK)
+      jest.clearAllMocks()
+
+      await update(automation)
+
+      // events
+      expect(events.automation.created).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.stepDeleted).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.triggerUpdated).toBeCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+
+    it("adds automation steps", async () => {
+      let automation = newAutomation()
+      automation = await config.createAutomation(automation)
+      automation.definition.steps.push(automationStep())
+      automation.definition.steps.push(automationStep())
+      jest.clearAllMocks()
+
+      // check the post request honours updates with same id
+      await update(automation)
+
+      // events
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).toBeCalledTimes(2)
+      expect(events.automation.created).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.stepDeleted).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.triggerUpdated).not.toBeCalled()
+    })
+
+
+    it("removes automation steps", async () => {
+      let automation = newAutomation()
+      automation.definition.steps.push(automationStep())
+      automation = await config.createAutomation(automation)
+      automation.definition.steps = []
+      jest.clearAllMocks()
+
+      // check the post request honours updates with same id
+      await update(automation)
+
+      // events
+      expect(events.automation.stepDeleted).toBeCalledTimes(2)
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.created).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.triggerUpdated).not.toBeCalled()
+    })
+
+    it("adds and removes automation steps", async () => {
+      let automation = newAutomation()
+      automation = await config.createAutomation(automation)
+      automation.definition.steps = [automationStep(), automationStep()]
+      jest.clearAllMocks()
+
+      // check the post request honours updates with same id
+      await update(automation)
+
+      // events
+      expect(events.automation.stepCreated).toBeCalledTimes(2)
+      expect(events.automation.stepDeleted).toBeCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(events.automation.created).not.toBeCalled()
+      expect(events.automation.triggerUpdated).not.toBeCalled()
     })
   })
 
@@ -216,7 +328,8 @@ describe("/automations", () => {
         .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
         .expect(200)
 
-        expect(res.body.id).toEqual(automation._id)
+      expect(res.body.id).toEqual(automation._id)
+      expect(events.automation.deleted).toBeCalledTimes(1)
     })
 
     it("should apply authorization to endpoint", async () => {